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My first job when I moved into my flat last August was to remove the paving stones in the back yard. Now, after five months of having a building site for a garden, I have bought myself some Christmas topsoil, and I'm itching to get seed sowing

Make a Christmas wreath Welcome visitors by making a beautiful Christmas wreath with bundles of twigs and evergreen foliage from your own garden. Keep it simple so that it's easy to make and choose tough, resilient foliage so that it will last

Increase greenhouse shading if temperatures inside are getting very hotTake cuttings from houseplants such as weeping figs and Christmas cactiDamp down the greenhouse floor every morningWater pots and growing bags dailyPlace potted tagetes near

Work off Christmas excesses by digging over bare areas of groundPlace cloches over tender plants to give them extra protection from frostSharpen blades on hoes, secateurs and other garden tools, and wipe with an oily rag before storing awayDo a

Grow hippeastrumThe huge trumpet flowers of hippeastrum, often called amaryllis, are sure to brighten up the dark days of winter. You might get one as a Christmas gift, but it's also worth treating yourself to one (or more!) of the massive bulbs

Learn how to grow azaleas as Christmas-flowering house plants in Rachel de Thame's video guide, with tips on the best watering techniques.DecemberMore advice on growing azaleasPlanting up a pot of azaleas and campanulasLearn how to deal

topiaryPlanting up a Christmas pot of boxBrowse a variety of evergreen shrubsView plants for autumn colour

Joe Swift demonstrates how to prune and take hardwood cuttings from dogwoods.springCreative suggestions for dogwoodCreate a dogwood container displayCreate a winter container displayMake a christmas wreathBrowse dogwood varietiesAdd autumn colour

and eucomis, under coverCheck all plants for signs of pests and treat immediatelySow sweet peas in potsAvoid moving Christmas cactus during autumn while they're forming flower buds, to prevent damageMove potted peaches and nectarines under cover

Think of a vegetable that sums up Christmas. Easy - except that to make things a bit more difficult I am withdrawing the noble sprout from the equation. So that leaves the humble spud and the noble parsnip, and, as far as I am concerned, the latter